Each spring, the cherry blossoms lining Washington DC’s Tidal Basin burst into color in a beautiful display of floral fireworks. But the peak bloom period lasts only a few days, and precisely when it happens varies each year. This site brings together information about visiting the cherry blossoms and Washington DC, peak bloom forecasts, and up-to-date photos to help you make the most of your own visit or follow along from afar.

The cherry blossom snow is coming down more steadily now as petals get knocked off in the breeze. The trees aren't looking as white and fluffy as they had been, especially up close, but as of late this morning they were still looking pretty.

A week after peak bloom the cherry blossoms are still looking very pretty, but if you look up close you can clearly see that they're past their prime now. More petals have been coming off, and more green leaves are poking through.

Petals are starting to come off, but for now it’s a very gentle pace. The cold weather has slowed development down and kept the green leaves at bay. So the cherry blossoms are still holding up well and looking beautiful.

The short answer is that there's no easy answer. On average, the peak bloom occurs sometime around the last week or so of March through the first week or so of April. But precisely when during that period varies year to year. So here's the longer version.

The Kwanzan cherry blossoms are particularly pretty and tend to come out 10-14 days after the Yoshinos. So if you miss the end of the Yoshino cherry blossoms' bloom, the Kwanzans can offer beautiful consolation.

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